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They said in their report: “This relationship has not previously been shown on a population level and suggests that water, an essential nutrient, may deserve greater focus in weight management research and clinical strategies.”

NHS guidelines currently say we should drink between six to eight glasses of fluid a day.

This can include water, milk and even hot drinks such as tea and coffee.

They believe that people with high BMIs “may behave in ways that lead them to be inadequately hydrated”, such as mistaking thirst pangs for hunger.

Those who are heavier may be more likely to overeat and quench their first with drinks laden with sugar rather than sip on a glass of water.

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The new study says that obese people are not hydrated enough

But because of their size, researchers from the US university say that the “obese have higher water needs” and should drink even MORE than the norm.

They also claim that people with higher BMIs should increase their intake of foods that contain high water content.

Eating fruits and vegetables alone won’t be enough to help people lose weight.

They instead believe that overweight people should improve their hydration generally to reap the benefits.

They wrote in their report: “Although increasing fruits and vegetables is often recommended as part of a healthy weight management strategy and is not thought to be a stand-alone intervention for obesity, obese individuals and those with higher BMIs and increased hydration requirements may benefit from more guidance related to achieving adequate hydration through food and fluids.”